Prior to the Second World War, the village had a population of around 1,400, with a predominantly Polish population (over 70% of residents).

On 12.03.1944 numerous militias of Ukrainian formations surrounded the village from all sides. The attackers were in the uniforms of Soviet soldiers, which confused the local Polish self-defence, which took no action. The attackers segregated those gathered - Ukrainians were separated and most of them were allowed to return home (Ukrainians from mixed families were murdered), while Poles were murdered with machine guns. A total of around 360 people were killed. The victims were buried in two places - the Ukrainians in the Orthodox cemetery and the Poles in the Catholic cemetery (in individual graves).

In the post-war period, a memorial was erected at the site to honour the victims. The inscription on the memorial states: "In this place on 12 March 1944, 365 inhabitants of Palikry were shot. In grateful memory of them".

In 2012. The Council for the Protection of Remembrance of Struggle and Martyrdom built a memorial in the Catholic cemetery to honour the murdered Poles - vertical plaques were placed on both sides of the central cross, on which the names of the victims were to be engraved. The inscription on the cross reads: "To the memory / of the inhabitants of Palikry and the surrounding area / who perished / in March 1944 // the government of the Republic of Poland / Families / 2012".

Between 2020 and 2023, the Freedom and Democracy Foundation provided permanent year-round care for these graves as part of a task subsidised by the programme of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage "Sites of National Remembrance Abroad".